Apparatus for generating heat



Sept. 8, 1931.

c. E. McCARTNEY ET AL I APPARATUS FOR GENERATING HEAT Filed May 1, 1929 Patented Sept. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES P'ATENT'OFFICE CHARLES E. MCCARTNEY AND ROY MILLER, OF LOS ANGELES, GALIFORNIA;. SAID APPARATUS For, GENERATING A T Application filed May 1, 1929. Serial No. 359,460.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for generating heat, and particularly pertains to a plumbers furnace;

At the present time most plumbers furnaces of the portable type are provided with a gasoline tank into which gasoline or some othersimilar commodity is placed, and within which the liquid is compressed by the use of a pump. Such structures are associated.

with a suitable generating burner which causes the compressed liquid to gasify and produce combustion when ignited Such structures require frequent filling in order to insure proper continuous performance and of a petroleum product of relatively high vapor tension maintainedat a pressure which will cause it to vaporize and create a desired pressure within the tank, suflicient to cause the gaseous product to be projected from the tank through a jet in a manner satisfactory for the proper combustion of the gas and proper heat.

The present invention contemplates that the burner structure shall be detachable and interchangeable upon the fuel tanks,' thus making it possible for the filled fuel tanks to be supplied as a part ofa regular fuel service, as the empty tanks may be detached from the burner and returned forfilling.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a burner structure suitably mounted upon a liquid and gaseous fuel container, and which structure embodies means by which it may be detachably secured upon the container, and also'means for' baffling andprotecting the container from excessive heat generated in the burner.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing. in 1 which 1 The figure is a view in central vertical section through the complete burner and shows the arrangement of the burner and the manner in which it is mounted upon the tank.

As has been stated hereinbefore the device of this invention is particularly adapted to employ a hydrocarbon fuel capable of vaporizing when released under pressure; This fuel in'the present case is obtained from hydrocarbons of the homologous series at a point between that of propane C l-I and butane (LH b and mayinclude these hydrocarbons, and has a formula of the order of C H It has been found that the vapor ten-' sion at one hundred degrees pressure is approximately 74. pounds and that the boiling point is l7 degrees F.

The filledcontainers20 are fitted with a valve 19 by which the control of as from the container may be established. pipe 22 leads to a burner jet 23. This jet extends upwardly into the throat of a venturi 24. The venturi'has a substantially closed lower end wall 25 through which air openings 25 are formed. These openings are arranged in a circular row around the jet 23, and their areas are so proportioned with relation to the area of the Venturi throat as to insure proper mixture of the gas and air with a desirable resulting combustion. The upper end ofthe Venturi casting 24 is formed integral with a combustion bowl 26. This bowl is relativelylargeindialneter and is separated from the mouth of the venturi by an upwardly extending'lip 27 to prevent extraneous matter from flowing into and clogging the venturi. A plurality of air holes 28 is formed through thewall of the bowl to provide air for combustion.

Mounted within the bowl and formed as a part thereof are fins 29 which may support a ladle, indicated by dotted lines at 30. A' removable apron 31 is positioned upon the lip of the bowl and tends to confine the heat around the ladle. The bowl and the burner are supported by uprights 32. These uprights extend downwardly and are secured within a collar 33, which collar is detachably secured around an upwardly extending fitting 34;. This fitting is secured to the top 100 of the tank and is merely provided as an attachment fitting for the burner. A set screw 35 extends througlrthe wall of the collar, and may be tightened to insure that the burner structure will be temporarily fixed with relation to the'collar and the container 20. i

In operation of the presentinvent-ion, it has been found that the heat generated by the burner is of. great advantage inaccelerating the vaporization of thegaseous and liquid fuels within the container 20, and to protect the liquid from freezing, sinoe:-it--has a--relatively low boiling point. Under some circumstances. however, this heat .may be very intense. and in order to equalize the temperatures of the radiant heat as received by the container 20 a batlle disc 36 is provided. This disc is disposed below the burner bowl 26 and above the-container, as clearly shown in tliedrawing.

In the operation of the present invention, iso-butane or a fuel having similar characteristics, is employed. Thepressure initially within the containe during the time it is being filled, will be approximately 165 pounds.

The air entrapped withinthe container during filling is drawn out until the pressure indicated upon the gauge 39isof the order of pounds. At a pressure of 70 pounds thevapor tension of the liquid will hesufficiently great to insure vaporization of the liquid and 'a resultant gasification thereof. This gas will create a pressure within the tank sufiicientto cause it to be projected from the tank and under control through the burner-nozzle.

It is to be un derstoodthat the containers 20 are to be filled at a plant, and that they are to be interchanged for empty containers at the place of 'use by the customer. The containers will, therefore. be called for and returned, and will'be separately adjusted to the burner structure which is adapted to be mounted upon them.

After a container has been properly filled, as previously-describedqit is delivered to the usenwho attaches the burner bymounting it.upon the fixture 84; and fastening it into position bythe set screw; After making connection to the valve the burner is then ready for use, and may be used by opening the valve 19 and igniting the gas whiclr will project upwardly through the Venturi casting 24c and: commingles with a pre-determined proportion: of air as it reaches the burner bowl-26.

It will be understod that in order to insure proper combustion thesize and number of holes 25 in the end of theVenturi fitting, as well as the combined area of the holes 28 in the'burner bowl will be accurately determined to provide a: proper mixture of air and gas for combustion.

It ;will;thus;,-.beseengthat by the use of a have beenexhausted.-

While I have shown the preferred form of my iinventioniasnow known to me, it will be understood that various changes might be made lll'iillrCOHlblIlfltlOl'l, construction and arrangement of all parts without departing from the spirit of theinvention as claimed.

Havingth'us described our invention,-what we claim and desire to secure by-Letters Pat cut is:

1. A plumbers furnace comprisinga :fuel tank,-a burner disposed thereover, said burnerincluding a vertical venturi, the dischargeend of which is surroundedby a-combustion howl, a conduit leading from-the lower end of the burner to the tank and detaohably connected therewith, a valve for closing thetank when'the conduit is disconnected and for regulating the flow of "fuel therethroughgapro jecting element on thetank, an embracing element carried by the burner and adapted to fit over said proiecting element, and means fordetachably fastening said elements together whereby fuel tanks may be interchanged upon the burner;

2. A plumbers furnace comprising atank for fuel, a fitting extending from. saidtank, a collar provided with upright members extending from said collar, means for detachably attaching said collar to said fitting; a combustion bowl supported by .said uprights above said fuel tank .in heat-radiating'relation thereto, a mixing chamber in the form of a Venturi tube directed into said bowl,a ported spider :in the-lower endof'said yen.- turi, a fuel nozzle positioned axiallly of said ported spider and directed into said venturi and a valved gas feed tube connecting-said fuel nozzle and said tank'at apoint above the level of the liquid therein;

3. A plumbers furnace comprisingatank for fuel. a fitting extending from said tank, a collar detachably attached to said tank, up right members extending from said collar, a combustion bowl supportedby'said uprights, a mixing chamber inthe form of a Venturi tube directed into said bowl, a ported spider in the lower end of said-venturi,a fuel nozzle positioned axially of said ported spider and directed into said venturi, a valved'outl'et communicating with the upperportion of said fuel tank, anda feed tube connecting; said valved outlet with said fuel nozzle:

4. Afurnace comprising 'a fuel tank, a collar on the top of said tank, a burner supporting structure detachably secured'to 'said collar, a concaved combustion chamber secured in the top of said burner supporting structure, fins in said combustion chamber to support an object to be heated, a fuel mixing chamber in the form of a Venturi tube extending downwardly from said combustion chamber, an annular flange in said combustion chamber to prevent extraneous matter from entering said mixing chamber, a fuel tip in the bottom of said Venturi tube, a plurality of air ports surrounding said tip, a valved pipe to convey fuel from said tank to said fuel tip and a guard resting in an annular recess in said concaved combustion chamber to keep Winds from said combustion chamber.

CHARLES E. MOOARTNEY. ROY MILLER. 

